Creative Pottery: Innovative Techniques and Experimental Designs in Thrown and Handbuilt Ceramics

by Deb Schwartzkopf

Take your work to the next level! Join ceramic artist Deb Schwartzkopf for a journey that will help you grow as a functional potter, whether your background is in wheel-throwing or handbuilding.

Creative Pottery begins with a quick review of where you are in your own journey as a potter. If you need to brush up on the basics, help setting goals, or pointers on how to translate your inspiration into your work, you've come to the right place. The rest of the book is a self-guided journey in which you can choose the techniques and projects that interest you:
Go Beyond the Basics and learn how to throw or handbuild a bottomless cylinder. Then explore seams and alterations for projects like a vase, sauce boats, dessert boats, and a citrus juicer.
Flatter Forms takes your throwing and trimming horizontal. Make beautiful plates and learn how to make the jump from plate to cake stand.
Master Molds and use them to open a new world of possibilities. Make spoons, platters, and asymmetrical shapes like an out-of-round serving dish with molded feet and a thrown rim.
Compose with Multiple Shapes to make two-part forms like a butter dish or a stacking set of bowls. Make a pitcher out of two simple forms and then take it further by exploring handles and spouts for a proper teapot.
With compelling galleries, artist features, and guided questions for growth throughout, this is a book for potters everywhere that want to go beyond the basics, learn new skills, and unlock their creativity.

Genres: Nonfiction, Art

192 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 2, 2020

About the author

Deb Schwartzkopf is a studio potter, instructor, and an active community member born and raised in Seattle, WA. She earned a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Alaska. She worked for studio potters in the Anchorage area, which gave her a strong foundation to spring from. Deb focused on glazes for a year of independent study at San Diego State University; after which she completed a Masters of Fine Arts at Penn State. She went on to teach at institutions such as: Ohio University, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, University of Washington, and University of Georgia’s study abroad program in Cortona. Deb has worked as an artist in residence nationally and internationally at the Archie Bray Foundation (MT), Mudflat Studios (MA), The Clay Studio (PA), Pottery Northwest (WA), Watershed (ME), Sanbao in Jingdezhen, China, and the Residency for Ceramics-Berlin, Germany. Since 2002, Deb teaches widely at ceramics centers including Penland School of Craft (May 2019 - NC), Gaya Ceramics Center (2014, 2019 Indonesia) and she is planning a workshop at IARE (2020 - France). Her artwork is included in collections such as the Kamm Teapot Foundation, San Angelo Museum, and the WA State Arts Collection. She is included in numerous publications including Ceramic Monthly, Pottery Making Illustrated, and Studio Potter Magazine. She has contributed to Red Clay Rambler Podcasts and completed a full-length DVD with Ceramic Arts Daily. In 2013 Deb purchased a home and began to establish what is now Rat City Studios - a community pottery studio where she offers adult classes, studio memberships and works with emerging artists who compete for a long-term studio assistant position. Ceramics Monthly awarded Deborah Schwartzkopf Ceramic Artist of the Year for 2019.

Reviews

[Anniek · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me this is a 6 star book!
It's full of reflexion, ideas, techniques, beautiful photos and clear explanations. The author gives many tips to develop your own style. Also the lay-out is top! I love this book!!!

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Creative Pottery is a studio reference and series of guided tutorial lessons by Deb Schwartzkopf. Due out 2nd June 2020 from Quarto on their Quarry imprint, it's 192 pages and will be available in hardcover format.

This is one of those reference books which is lovely to look at, solidly written to a high quality, and deceptively densely packed with good takeaways both technical and philosophical. Whilst the author says it's for all skill levels, I personally feel that the introductory and beginner chapters are a little light on skill building info for real beginners and too basic for advanced beginners. The more advanced tutorials are really superlatively photographed with clear and concise directions (and her hands are NOT in the way in any of the action shots *yay*).

Each of the chapters includes one or more artist highlights and very short (but insightful) in a Q&A format. The chapters are arranged logically and progress thematically from introductory, tools and supplies, design and asymmetry, bisque molds, hand building and adding complexity/interest.

There's a lot of philosophy and prompts for self reflection and (hopefully) growth as an artist. Are some of them a bit artistic and diffuse? Yes, but I found them valid and worthwhile. I also liked the author's down to earth writing voice. The book reads almost like a class or guided tutorial session. I liked that and found it encouraging and never intimidating.

Very well made and written instructional, full of very very well done photography, high production values, and a *lot* of information for the potter. This is a superlative reference book.

Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Laura Estelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a bit weird, in that it nominally started with "how to throw", and then very quickly got into advanced techniques mixing handbuilding and altered thrown forms. I think they were trying to make it officially cater to all levels of potters ... but not every book has to start from zero, and the actual meat of this book is not entry-level. I think that it would have been better to leave that rather abbreviated section out, rather than doing it poorly.

However. The bulk of the book is actually deconstructing how Schwartzkopf achieves her whimsical and unexpected forms. This part was really cool, and she went as far as to include templates for cutting components out of slabs. While I'm unlikely to try anything in this overall aesthetic, and can't comment on what it was like to try to actually follow one of the projects, I greatly enjoyed seeing how those forms are constructed, as well as getting new ideas for how you can alter thrown forms.

[Horus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Admittedly, I was skeptical about this book when a friend loaned it to me. I’ve looked briefly at a number of modern pottery how-to books, which generally have left me cold. While Ms. Schwarzkopf’s aesthetic is not mine, I greatly appreciate her very clear writing style (with likely one of the best proofread books I’ve read in some time) and the excellent quality photos. She has some great tips in here I would like to try in my own work, as well as great ideas for helping my students. It was also nice to receive validation about many of the things I do with my own students. She doesn’t limit her discussion to more advanced techniques, but for the novice or completely new potter, the more basic skill teaching is still more difficult via a book. That being said, this is a book to be referred back to as one’s skill grows, so well worth reading for any level of experience.

[Leyla Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous book, well written with lots of photos and instructions that could be used by both learners and experienced potters. The instructions start with a basic shape and technique and shows how with inspiration, this shape can become something both unique and pleasing to use.
Using traditional techniques such as slab, turned, coiled, mold and templates wonderful forms can be achieved, starting from simple objects to more challenging items. There are guest artists whose work are featured which is very interesting in its diversity.

[Nic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing projects and examples from a wide variety of potters to inspire anyone who has worked with clay. I now can't wait to get back into the pottery studio and try out some of these techniques.

[Linds · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book but it is intermediate/advanced techniques and I’m a beginner. There are physical templates for forms that would be helpful if I ever get good enough.

[Mary Foxe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skimmed.